Principal's Message

Welcome to Creekside ! 

Dear Creekside Community, 

I am honored to join the Creekside community as your new principal for the 2025–26 school year. This marks my 20th year in the Boulder Valley School District, where I’ve had the privilege of serving as a teacher, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, and Principal. From the warm welcome I’ve already received, it’s clear that Creekside is a special place—and it already feels like home. As a leader, I am deeply committed to building strong relationships, supporting students, staff, and families, and creating a school environment where every student feels a true sense of belonging and has the opportunity to thrive.

As a school, Creekside Elementary at Martin Park is a unique, dynamic neighborhood school that hosts an international student population. We are proud to welcome students from the surrounding neighborhoods and many of the University of Colorado family housing units. Approximately 30 percent of our population comes to us from nearly every continent in the world and we often have 25 different languages spoken in our building!  At Creekside, children learn that diversity is a quality that is respected and valued. 

Academic programming at Creekside is provided to all children on a differentiated basis as determined by their academic body of evidence. Children with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are provided with special services within the classroom and/or in a pull out setting. Creekside is also proud to have an AIM (Achieving with Individualization and Modification) Intensive Learning Center (ILC)  for students with autism.

Thanks to our generous community, funding from the previous bond made it possible to build a brand new building. Opening in 2017, this building was designed to facilitate personalized learning, and the teaching of 21st century skills - creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.There are spaces that work well for learning from an expert (more "traditional" teaching), collaborative spaces where students can work in small groups to learn from each other, presentation spaces, teacher collaboration rooms, spaces that allow individuals to work and reflect quietly, and gathering spaces for larger communities. Creekside’s learning environment is agile and multi-functional depending on the learning needs of the students.

Creekside teachers are committed to meeting the academic, social, emotional, creative and cultural needs of the whole child. Based on strong bonds of collegiality, respect and child-centeredness, Creekside Elementary offers students a welcoming and supportive place to learn. ​We have a school counselor, support from a Family Health Advocate, and are pleased to partner with the City of Boulder to provide an array of services including after school clubs, mental health, and other social services. 

Lastly, parent and community partnerships are highly valued at Creekside. These partnerships are the cornerstones for helping our students and the school achieve at maximum potential.  We have a very active parent organization, CPO (Creekside Parent Organization) that is involved in many school wide activities and fundraising, as well as a dedicated School Advisory Council (SAC) that meets regularly to advise on budget, staffing, school safety and school culture.

Creekside Elementary at Martin Park is a creative, diverse, and motivating setting for all children.​ We are proud to be part of the south Boulder community.​

Warmly,

Erin Hinkle